The hunt is on with hundreds of thousands of high school students on the prowl for their best choice. Their prey? Colleges and universities.

Biola offers many preview days for prospective students such Biola Bound, Spring Preview Day and recently, University Day, which Biola held from Sunday to Monday.

FUN-FILLED MEMORIES

Sophomore environmental science major Jessica Callen attended Biola Bound, an event specifically designed for out-of-state students to visit campus. The activities included going to classes, visiting a local church and going to Disneyland. Last year, Callen worked as an ambassador and hosted prospective students for that same event.

“I think the best part of Biola Bound was waking up on Sunday morning really early, going to church and then right after going to Disneyland,” Callen said. “Because being out of state from Oregon, I was really blown away, just to go to Disneyland for a couple of hours and experience it. I had so much fun. I got to go with friends, and new friends, and make more friends, and so that was like my favorite memory.”

PREVIEW ACTIVITIES

These preview days offer many activities, but also the chance for prospective students to get to know the campus, the community and academia.

“[The best part was] exploring campus and seeing the people, regular students, around campus and how they acted compared to other campuses as well as the idea of what classes would be like mostly psych classes,” said Andrew Wilson, sophomore psychology major.

Because attendees stay overnight, prospective students also experience dorm life.

“It’s actually an amazing experience to get to see friendships on floors, to get to see what [Resident Advisors] do, what life is like in a dorm, just to see the daily life of a university, and I recommend it for anyone,” Callen said.

STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVE

For Biola students who have already completed their search, this season means something else. Perhaps it means crowded classes with wide-eyed prospective students taking in a college class for the first time, the Caf jam-packed with long lines for food or maybe even hosting a high school student for a night.

Many Biola students remember the aspects of the campus and the community that attracted them to the school. Everyone has a story of how they made the choice to come to Biola.

Preview days can make the difference in a student’s choice or can affirm their already made decision. This happened for junior journalism major Hannah Clark, when she attended Spring Preview Day in 2015 Biola sat at the top of her list and by the end she had made a firm decision.

“I think these events are really valuable for any prospective student whether they’re thinking about coming or not,” Clark said.  “Just to get a feel for what Biola actually is. Because you know, when you take a tour, you’re only on campus for a limited amount of time, but then you’re here for a whole weekend you get to know, ‘Oh, is this really a school I want to be at?’ What do they have to offer? How could I be integrated into this community?”

As the college search persists for high school students, tours will fill the campus, and soon new freshman will arrive.